Emotions and Apologies
by Sovrani
Summary: -NOTE: LAST LINE EDITED. HxA, fluffy, kinda OOC- "And, if it's any consolation, I don't regret kissing you so much anymore."


**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine. Plotline and OOC-ness unfortunately is.

**A/N: **After reading The Time Paradox, my mind was overrun with Holly/Arty scenarios. Here is one of them. It's missing a beginning, but basically what's happened is Opal's loose on the surface and seeking revenge, and Holly's laying low at Fowl Manor, and Artemis just got up to go to the bathroom. If you don't like that, just come up with your own reason why Holly is staying at Fowl Manor, and why Artemis is wandering the hallways at night.

**PLEASE NOTE: I edited the last couple of lines, due to accidental plagiarism. I sincerely apologise to AgiVega, and I suggest you go read her fic, The Second Kiss, because her story is much better than this one :)  
**

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Artemis paused by Holly's room and peeked inside. In the narrow beam of light from the thin crack in the door, he could see Holly's bed, and the small lump in the middle where the elf was presumably curled up. The lump twitched rhythmically every few seconds, and Artemis realised with shock that Holly was crying.

He pushed the door open and quietly closed it again, and went over to the bed. Holly was gently twitching with sobs. Biting his lip, Artemis put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Holly jumped slightly, and her wet eyes shot up to his face. "Artemis. Yes. I'm fine, honestly."

Artemis sighed. "You're crying, Holly," he said pointedly. "Unless this is a case of PMS, something must be wrong."

Holly scowled in the darkness. "Artemis Fowl, blunt as always. If you must know, I was thinking about Julius."

Artemis felt suddenly uncomfortable. Artemis had many skills, but dealing with emotional situations was not one of them. He stood awkwardly by the side of Holly's bed, unsure of what to do or say.

"Oh, get in then," Holly said, exasperated, pulling back the blankets. "Don't just stand there."

Artemis climbed into bed with her, snuggling down into the duvet, staring up at the ceiling. "Do you want to talk?"

Holly sighed. "It won't make much difference."

"Try anyway."

Holly was silent for a moment. Then, "He was like a father to me," she said quietly. "I had a mum and a dad. Then dad was gone. Then mum was gone. Then I joined the LEP and had Julius. And now he's gone too."

Artemis said nothing. He didn't know what to say.

"It's been years, but I've never really… well, it was like losing dad again." Holly rolled over with a grunt. "This probably must sound really stupid to you."

"It's not stupid," Artemis assured her. "I lost my father too, remember? Albeit for a short time."

"If you call two and a half years short," Holly said. "But you found him again."

"True," Artemis amended. "But the fact remains; I lost him."

They both stared up at the ceiling, listening to the wind rattling the windows. Then Holly broke the silence. "Artemis, did you cry? When you found out that your father was missing?" she asked.

A series of images flashed through Artemis' mind. Butler, looking grave, standing stiffly next to the fireplace. Angeline Fowl, flung across her bed, being comforted by a teary Juliet. And a small boy of about ten years old, sitting alone in his bedroom, with silent tears dripping steadily down his cheeks. By day, going about business as usual. At night, letting the tears fall.

"Yes," Artemis said. "I did."

Artemis suddenly felt a hand in his own. "So you're not totally emotionless," Holly said softly. "I remember, you cried when you found out your father was alive. I heard you sobbing."

Artemis almost smiled. "I have been known to show sudden outbursts of emotion."

"You've cried for your family."

"And you," Artemis said, immediately regretting it.

Holly turned to face him, genuinely intrigued. "What? When?"

Artemis felt his cheeks burn, and was inwardly thankful that it was dark in the room. "In Hybras. Abbott had just stabbed you. I thought I had lost you."

Holly sucked in a breath. "That was quite a day, wasn't it?"

"Three years, not a day," Artemis reminded her.

"I died," Holly said simply.

The boy genius almost squirmed. "Yes. And it was most unpleasant and traumatising."

"What, for you?"

"Yes, for me. I was terrified," Artemis admitted.

"And you cried," Holly said, prodding him in the shoulder. "For me."

"Yes, Holly, gloat all you like. I cried, for you."

Though Holly said nothing, Artemis could feel the smugness radiating off her. The great Artemis Fowl, crying over a fairy. Just wait until Foaly hears.

"And I suppose you have cried for me," Artemis guessed, breaking the silence.

Holly snorted. "I've certainly cried _because_ of you. You manipulated me into believing that I had betrayed my own people. I've had a few sleepless nights over that one."

Artemis winced. "I've apologised already. I feel terrible about that."

"Hmm," Holly said, unconvinced. "But other than that, yes, I have cried for you."

"When?"

"When I thought that Opal had bio-bombed your hotel and killed you. And when you were barrelled over by that gorilla."

"Emotional creatures, elves," Artemis mused.

"Well, God, I'm sorry that I have a heart, Artemis. I'm sorry that I get emotional over people I care about," Holly snapped, wounded. "You haven't treated me as well as you could have, you know."

"I do know, and I can't say I'm sorry enough times," Artemis said. "Manipulation is in my blood, I can't help it."

"That's no excuse, Artemis," Holly said with a sigh. "When you told me that I had given your mother Spelltropy, you can't begin to understand how guilty I felt. And after you told me, after I had healed you in the gorilla cage, I felt that all my work had been for nothing. I really tried to change you."

Artemis felt uncomfortable. "It's working."

Holly shook her head, and it was at that point Artemis realised that they had both turned over and were facing each other across the pillows. "No, Artemis, I don't think it is working," Holly said. "After I… after I kissed you, I thought you had changed. Even before that, I thought I had sparked some emotion in you. And then you told me that you lied to me, I just felt betrayed."

"Please stop it," Artemis said. He gripped Holly's hand tightly beneath the duvet. "Look, I understand how you feel. And I truly am sorry for all the manipulation and lies. And I understand why you regret… eh, kissing me. But I never, ever wanted to hurt you. I care too much."

Artemis saw Holly smile in the moonlight. "Listen to yourself. The emotions are just flowing out of you," Holly squeezed his hand. "Look, for the moment I'll accept your apology, but if it happens again, I swear…"

"You can hurt me in any way you see fit," Artemis told her.

Holly's smile widened, and she released Artemis' hand and placed her palm on his cheek. "And, if it's any consolation, I don't regret kissing you so much anymore."

"That's good," Artemis said, feeling stupid, trying not to blush.

There was a moment of silence, then Holly shifted closer to him, her hand still on his cheek. "So, Mud Boy, you're a genius. Can you guess what happens now?"

Artemis shrugged and tried to sound sarcastic, "You forgive me for all acts of crime and manipulation that I may or may not have performed in the past. And then you kiss me, I suppose."

She laughed lightly. "Well, you're half right, at any rate."

And Holly closed the space between them and pressed her lips gently against his.

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**A/N:** Ridiculously fluffy, OOC and unlikely. Yay for FanFiction!

And was that edited last line okay?

Review?


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